A bill to help more kids in Colorado's foster care system go to college one day has passed its first hurdle at the legislature.
Sponsored by state Sen. Linda Newell, SB15-131 passed the State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee and is now headed to the Finance Committee.
Newell’s bill would set up a formal collaborative between higher education and county and child welfare officials. The idea is to create a coordinated support network to help foster youth onto campus or into job training.
"I feel like I’m standing at the top of a mountain with my arms in the air and I’m alone," bill supporter Tori Black testified at the hearing. She's a CU Denver graduate who attended 36 schools due to a disruptive life with her biological parents. She was in the foster care system as a toddler and again as a teen. "I want my foster brothers and sisters who are suffering in foster care right now to be on top of that mountain celebrating one day."
Colorado has about 8,000 foster youth. These youth experience disproportionate rates of homelessness, unemployment, unplanned pregnancies, incarceration, human trafficking, and reliance on public assistance. Statistics show if nothing is done, the lifetime costs to society for the 362 Colorado youth who aged out of foster care in 2013 will be about $108 million.
Just over a quarter of foster care students in Colorado’s class of 2013 graduated on time, compared to three-quarters of all students, and half of homeless students, one study shows. And experts say education is a child in foster care's best chance of becoming independent, productive citizens.
People from across the country are looking for ways to help families of the 10 people killed at a King Soopers in Boulder on March 22.
We've compiled a list of area groups that are collecting contributions in the aftermath of the shooting.
In July, we published this statement in recognition of the work we needed to begin at CPR to confront issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in our newsroom and organization as a whole.
We know this work is urgent, and we are dedicated to doing it thoroughly and connecting it with our vision and mission to reach all and serve everyone in Colorado.
Here is an update on our progress over the last eight months.
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